Related technical fields include cannulas and clamping methods, including cannulas and clamping methods for perfusing one or more organs or tissue to monitor, treat, sustain and/or restore the viability of the organ(s) or tissue and/or for transporting and/or storing the organ(s) or tissue.
Various devices have been developed that couple the anatomy of an organ being perfused to a machine or other equipment such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,824,848, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Such devices are typically referred to as perfusion clamps or simply cannulas. Although the term cannula in general use has other meanings, the term cannula is used generically throughout this specification to refer to a clamp or other device that provides a connection through which fluid flow may be established.
A type of cannula as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,115 to Westcott et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference, is shown in FIGS. 1-3. A clamping device (cannula) 10 is used to couple a perfusion device to the renal aorta 34. The clamp 10 includes two longitudinal members 12 and 14 which pivot about a pin 16. The proximal end of the member 12 includes an integral handle 18, while the proximal end of the member 14 includes an integral handle 20. The distal end of the member 12 includes an elongated, hollow, annular, integral clamp head 24, while the distal end of the member 14 includes an elongated, hollow, annular, integral clamp head 26. Clamp head 26 includes a nipple 28 attached thereto. Movement of the handles 18 and 20 toward one another forces the members 12 and 14 to pivot about the pin 16, thereby forcing the clamp heads 24 and 26 of the members 12 and 14 away from one another. A spring 22 is positioned between the handles 18 and 20 in order to bias the handles apart. This, in turn, tends to force the clamp heads 24 and 26 together. Therefore, the clamp heads 24 and 26 of the distal ends of the members 12 and 14 are engaged in a clamping relationship unless an external compressive force is applied to the handles 18 and 20. A lumen 32 extends through the nipple 28.
In use, the clamp 10 is attached to a blood vessel of a donor organ such as the renal aorta 34 of a kidney 36 by opening the clamp 10, passing the distal end 38 of the renal aorta 34 through the annular clamp head 24, holding the distal end 38 of the renal aorta 34 over the annular clamp head 24, and releasing pressure on the handles of the clamp 10 in order to allow the clamp head 26 to engage the distal end 38 of the renal aorta 34 against the annular clamp head 24. A catheter 40 may then be attached to the nipple 28 in order to provide perfusion of liquid through the lumen 32 and into the renal aorta 34.